Key for opening sheet-metal cans



(liq Model.)

0. S. FELLOWS. KEY FOR OPENING SHEET METAL CANS.

No. 555,940. 5 Patented Mar. 10 1896.

Niven Sterne KEY FOR OPENING SHEET META'L CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPlatefit No, 555,940, dated March 10, 1896.

Application filed March 21, 1395.

strip-winding keys for opening sheet-metal cans set forth in my PatentNo.543,004g dated July23, 1895, in which the shank and handle are formed by bending over a blank of sheet metal. v I

The object of my invention-is twofold first, to eifect the locking of the halves of the sheetmetal shank together by means of. a sleeve slippedlover them, and, second, to utilize this sleeve as a support for'an annular flange or shoulder around the shank of the key. The functions of the sleeve audits annularflange several. 7 .The sleeve secures and reinforces the shank of the key, while the annu-' lar flange, beingmade of a width at least sufficient to cover and include the strip when wound upon the shank, may be used as a guide to the key to prevent variations in inclination or the movement of the shank longitudinally, as well as to insure-the winding 'of the strip evenly and tautly upon the shank. To accomplish this the annular flange of the sleeve is simply made to rest against the end or edge of the can,the.s'train of winding up the strip facilitating this action and tendingto maintain rectangular contact with the angle or edge of the can.

In the accompanying drawings,'l+igure 1 is aside elevation of my improved strip-winding key; Fig.-2,"a central section longitudi nally through the handle; Fig. 3, an elevation at right angles to Fig.1; Fig. 4-, a section at right angles to Fig. Fig; 5, a bottom new; Fig.6, a topvicw; Fig. 7 a view illustrath l g the use of the key; Fig. 8, a view taken fronrthe underside of the key and also lllustrating its use.

The key consists, essentially, of a head, a crossbar or handle ll, s auk S, formed with the slot s, for the reception of the end of a 'strip} iing'-tongue, and l ateral disk or shoulder Serial No. 542,617. (llo model.)

I D, projeotingradially at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shanlic.

The lateral projection of the disk D is sufficient tocover and ineludethe strip 1 when wound upon the shank, and preferably to also leave a margin beyond the strip when nearly wound up for contact with the end plate or edgee of the can 0.

As applied" to myl orm of hollow sheet metal key set forth in my'prior patcntabotc referred to, and herein shown in its simpler form, the shoulder 1) consists of a'disk formed with the central sleeve d, which fitsover and around'the shank S, thereby binding its two halves s s firmly together. To secure it in position uponthe shank and lock the parts together permanently and rigidly the edge of the sleeve (1 may be pinched in against the shank, as shown at d or otherwise secured against displacement.

The diskD-and sleeve (1 may be conveniently struck up out of the "waste metal resulting from the stamping outof the opening in the end plate through which the can is filled, and as the sheet-metal key may itself be formed from waste orscrap'metal, as set forth in my aforesaid patent, it'wi'll. be seen that my present invention will-add little or nothin g to the 'costof thekey, while enabling me to use it effectively in its simplest form, since the sleeve (Z obviatesthe necessity for overlapping or otherwise securing the limbsof the blank togetherwhcn folded; 7

It is obvious that the configuration of the lateral shoulder isof secondary importance, and the annular or diskform may be departed fromwithoutdeviating from the spirit and I intentof my invention. I

W hat I claim as m invention and desire 5 y i to secure by Letters-,Fatcnt, is

' 1. Akey for opening sheet-metal cans con sisting of apiece of sheet metal having a mid.

the portion formed with extensions ofless width which are embossed so that when the .ljlank is doubled uponitself the middle p01:

tion forms a transverse head and, the extensions form a hollow shank whichis slotted to receive the stripping-tongue of a can, and a sleeve around the halves ofv the said shank to bind'thein together substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A- key forlopening sheetmetal'cans cone new sisting of 3 piece of sheet metal having a middle portion formed with extensions ofless width which are embossed so thatjwhen the' blank is doubled upon itself the middle portion forms a transverse head and the extensions l'orm a hollow shank which is slotted to receive the stripping-tongue of a can, and a sleeve around the halves of the shank to bind them together formed with an annular flange for the purpose and substantially in the mansions form ahollow shank whichis slottedto receive the stripping-tongue of a can, and a sleeve around 1he halves of the shank to bind them together formed with an annular flange of greater width than the combined thicknesses of the eonvolutions of the stripping portion of the can to he wound around said shank for the purpose andsubstantially m the manner described.

4. A key for opening sheet-metal canscom sisting of a pi'ec'eof sheet metal having a middle portion formed with extensions of less width which are embossed so that when the blank is doubled upon itself the middle po1z tion forms a transverse head and the exterr sions form a hollow shanlrwhich is slotted to receive the stripping+tongne of a can, and a sleeve around'the halves of the said shank to bind them together, said sleeve being formed with an annular flange, and being secured to the shank by pinching it againstthe shank so as to bend the metal and prevent longitudinal movement thereon, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

. V OLIN S. FELLOWS.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE WILLIAM MIATT, D. W. GARDNER. 

